Heading tape for curtains and the like



Oct. 15, 1935. FRENCH 2,017,618

HEADING TAPE FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1935 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 HEADING TAPE FOR CURTAINS THE LIKE George Frederick French, Manchester, England Application February 23, 1935, Serial No. 7,860 In Great Britain July 28, 1933 4 Claims.

This invention refers to heading tape for curtains and the like.

The object of the invention is an improved construction of heading tape suitable for use in 5 supporting curtains and the like, and also for pleating the same.

According to the invention, the improved heading tape is provided with one or more rows of tubular suspension straps or loops, on one or both faces, and a drawcord or drawcords slidably extending through such straps or loops, or siidably extending through the straps or loops on one face of the tape, and also slidably extending through the intermediate parts of the tape, or passing over the outer faces of such intermediate parts of the tape.

The length of each loop or strap and the- :pacing of the loops or straps will usually be s lab as to render the size of the pleats uniform, t. ere being a separate loop or strap for each inward pleat and lying across the space between the folds of the pleat.

After being sewn to the curtain along its edges, the improved tape is ready for use, the 5 usual suspension hooks or rings being caused to engage the loops or straps which then support the curtain.

When the curtain requires to be pleated (which may be done before or after suspending), the tape and the material of the curtain are pushed along the drawcord or drawcords, which is or are fastened to the tape or otherwise anchored at on end, and as the operation proceeds, the tape curtain become pleated to the desired extent, 5' the spare length of cord being tied off in the usual way.

Owing to the loops or straps being tubular and a relatively close fit on the cord (or cords) the loops or straps constitute abutments acting to regulate the pleating action and to give regu- 19.1 or even pleating, by preventing the side walls of the pleat from being brought into actual contest, as is possible with known pleating tape. In the case of a tape with loops or straps on each side, the said effect is also obtained with regard to the intermediate folds of the pleat on the opposite side of the tape.

In one example of the improved tape, a single 50 central row of tubular loops or straps is provided on one face only of the tape, each loop or strap being about half an inch long and the intermediate portions of the tape being about a quarter of an inch long. A single cord passes 55 through the whole row of loops or straps, and

passes out through the back of the tape at the points intermediate of the loops or straps.

In another example, there is arow of tubular loops or straps on each side of the tape, those on one side lying intermediate of those on the other 5;;

side, and the drawcord first passing through a, loop or strap on one side and then passing through a loop or strap onthe other sideof the tape.

There may be more than one drawcord pass- 1 ing through each loop or strap, and in such case the loop or strap may have two compartments, i. e. be divided by a central'web. Alternatively, there may be two separate loops or straps side by side, a drawcord passing through each. 155

In a further example, the loops or straps are spaced a greater distance apart, and the drawcord or cords, instead of passing out of the tape and'aoross the outer face ofthe intermediate parts of the tape, or through loops or straps on 2! the rear side, are enclosed within tubular portions of said intermediate parts, no part of the drawcord or cords'being visible.

In a further example, several rows of loops or straps are provided on one or both sides of the tape with a separate drawcord for each row. When more than one row of loops .or straps is provided, the loops or'straps in one row may alternate in their positions with those of the loops or straps in another row.

Prior to pleating the tape, the suspension straps or loops lie straight and against the surface of the tape, but owing to their formation and to the drawcord or drawcords passing through them, they are plainly visible and are easily found when requiring to insert the sus pension hooks.

In the accompanying drawing:--

Fig. 1 is a face View of a short length of one example of the improved heading tape, the tape 40 being in its normal unpleated condition.

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections respectively on lines 33 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary face view, 0 and Fig. 6 a cross section of the same example of heading tape shown in Figs. 1 to 4, but with the tape pleated, and in Fig. 6 shown sewn to a curtain and suspended by a hook and ring from a curtain rail or rod.

Fig. 7 is a plan of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a face view of a portion of another example of the improved heading tape.

Figs. 9 and 10 are face and sectional views of a further example.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of another example, and

Figure 12 is a plan view of a further example of the improved heading tape, and

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-53 of Figure 12. 7

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the tape therein shown comprises the foundation web or tape proper a, having on its front face a series or succession of evenly spaced round tubular loops 1), 1), these latter being interwoven at their ends with the tape proper, and said loops and tape collectively forming a single article. Extending slidably through the loops b, b, and preferably introduced during the weaving operation, is a drawcord c, which, after passing through a loop, passes through the tape proper and across the rear face of the adjacent part of the tape before entering the next loop, see Fig. 2.

In using the tape it is first sewn by its edges to the curtain to be pleated and suspended, and then the drawcord, if not previously fixed at one end, is knotted or secured to the tape or curtain, whilst its other end is left free, the cord being longer than the tape. The tape and curtain are then pushed along the drawcord bit by bit, until the desired pleats are formed, the loops b, b then having a bunched-up appearance and each lying between the two side faces of a pleat, see Figs. 5 and 6. The hooks for suspending the curtain are then passed between the loops and tape and the curtain suspended, see Fig. 6. When the tape is fully pleated, the cord 0 is practically straight, see Fig. 7.

The improved tape will usually be produced in a multi-shot loom, using three shuttles, the tubular loops being woven by two shuttles and the tape proper by a single'shuttle, in any well known manner.

In Fig. 8 a tape is shown having two rows of tubular loops b, b, the tap proper being relatively wide, and this make of tape being chiefly for use with heavy curtains. Each suspension hook will pass behind the companion loops of the two rows.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the loops b, b are double chambered, with a draw-cord c passing through each chamber. Obviously, if desired, two drawcords may pass through the single chambered loops of Fig. 1.

Instead of the drawcord c passing out and across the rear faces of those parts of the tape intermediate of the loops, it may pass through such intermediate parts, the cord being introduced during the weaving operation, and remaining stationary (not moving up and down with the warp') during the weaving operation, see Fig. 11.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, there may be loops b, b on both sides of the tape, and those on one side alternate with those on the other side. In 4 such case the cord will pass first through a loop on one side of the tape and then through a loop on the other side.

When two or more rows of loops or straps are provided on the same side of the tape, those in 10 one row may alternate in position with i, e, lie other than opposite, those in another row.

By reason of the drawcord or drawcords passing through the loops or straps and the curtain being suspended by hooks or rings which engage only 5 the loops or straps, there is no risk of the drawcord or drawcords pulling out under the weight of the curtain.

What I claim is:

1. A heading tape for curtains comprising a 20 woven foundation web, a number of woven tubes arranged with their axes lengthwise with the foundation web, each tube being woven into the web at both ends only, and a continuous drawcord passing through the tubes and through the 25 web at the tube ends, whereby crowding of the Web on the drawcord causes the web to be pleated and to form pockets between itself and the tubes, to receive curtain suspension hooks in which the tubes may lie. 30

2. A heading tape for curtains as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second row of the woven tubes, with separate drawcord is arranged side-by-side and in parallel relationship to the first row on the same side of the foundation Web. 35

3. A heading tape for curtains comprising a woven foundation web, a row of spaced woven tubes on one face of and with their axes lengthwise of the web, each tube being woven into the Web at both ends, a further row of spaced'woven 40 tubes on the other face of the web, in line with the first row but in staggered relation thereto, the several tubes collectively extending over the whole length of the tape, and a drawcord passing through all the tubes and through the web inter- 45 mediate of each pair of consecutive tubes.

4. A heading tape for curtains as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foundation web isformed with short longitudinal hollow passages in line with but spaced from each other, and in line with 50 the woven tubes on one face of the web to form a continuous enclosed passage, the drawcord lying in such continuous passage and being entirely concealed by the web and tubes.

GEORGE FREDERICK FRENCH. 55 

